What do you get when you combine four Lego Mindstorms NXTs, a Samsung Galaxy SII, a Rubik’s Cube, and two creative minds? You get a robot that can solve the Rubik’s Cube faster than a human.

CubeStormer II is the creative work of David Gilday and Mike Dobson. The NXT bricks are connected via Bluetooth to the Samsung smart phone. Once the unsolved cube is placed, a picture is taken by the phone, an app solves the puzzle and sends the solution to the NXT. Less than six seconds later, a solved Rubik’s Cube awaits.

Take a look for yourself –- just don’t blink.

That’s right, the CubeStormer II solved the puzzle in 5.35 seconds. The fastest human solution to the puzzle was achieved this year at the Melbourne Winter Open – a time of 5.66 seconds.

I do wonder what’s next for Mike and David –- is it the 4×4 or 5×5 Rubik’s Cube? My guess is the world’s fastest solution for the cube while blindfolded will stay in human hands… at least for a while.

(via Singularity Hub)